Windmill.



No. 786,297. PATENTED APR. 4, 1905.

I D. W. KENWORTHY.

WINDMILL.

APPLICATION FILED DEC- 23. 1904.-

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

flzmiznaiwzwriy, Wit pesse's Inven or.

I 1 ,1@( I i I r I Httomegs NQ- 86,297. PATENTED APR. 4, 1905.

0. W. KENWORTHY.

WINDMILL.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 23, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Witnesses vent fizraizwwzzzrgrifi g b I I 9 I I r UNITED STATES.

Patented April 4, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

WINDMILL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 786,297, dated April 4,1905.

Application filed December 23, 1904. Serial No. 238,118.

T to whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OWEN l/V..1(ENWORTHY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Oskaloosa, in the county of Mahaska and State ofIowa, have invented a new and useful VVindmill. of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to windmills, and has for its object to providecertain new and useful improvements including a novel arrangement ofhorizontal wind-wheel wherein the blades are automatically featheredwhen turned into the wind, so as to avoid resistance to the operation ofthe wheel, and automatically returned to their active upriglitpositionswithout the aid of springs, weights, or other extraneous means wherebythe wheel is materially simplified and runs in a regular and effectivemanner.

Another object of the invention is to effect automatic shifting of thefeathering means in accordance with the direction of the wind in orderthat the blades of the wheel may always present themselves in properrelation to the direction of the wind to obtain the most efiectiverotation of the wheel.

It is furthermore designed to effect manual feathering of the bladeswhen it is desired to throw the wheel out of operation and to providefor conveniently controlling the bladefeathering means from the groundor other position remote from the mill, so as to avoid the necessity ofclimbing to the top of the tower when it is desired to throw the wheelout of operation.

Another object of the invention is to materially simplify the mountingof the wheel upon the rotary vertical shaft of the mill and to arrangethe blade-feathering means in compact form at the top of the towerconcentrically with the shaft, so as not to be affected by the rotaryshifting of the shaft and the wheel occasioned by a change in thedirection of the wind.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists inthe combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter morefully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularlypointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes inthe form, proportion,

size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claimswithout departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantagesof the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a windmillembodying the features of the present invention with the wheel in itsoperative condition. Fig. 2 is a sectional view at right angles toFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the wheel in its inoperativeposition. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is adetail plan view of Fig. 3 with the wheel in the wind. Fig. 6 is a viewin detail of the inner and outer ends of the blades of the wind-wheel.Fig. 7 is a detail cross-sectional view on the line 7 7 of Fig. 2. Fig.8 is a detail top plan view of the tower. Fig. 9 is a detail plan viewof the shiftable carrier for the vane. Fig. 10 is a detail perspectiveview of the controlling-lever for throwing the blades of the wheel intoinoperative positions.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in each andevery figure of the drawings.

For the support of the operating parts of the present windmill there isprovided a tower made up of three upwardly-converged standards 1,preferably in the nature of angle-bars, the upper ends of which fitwithin the corners of a triangular flange-cap 2, to which the standardsare connected by suitable fastenings 3. The center of this cap ispierced by an opening 4, surrounded by an upstanding boss 5, and throughthis central opening extends an upright rotary shaft 6, which projects asuitable distance above and below the top of the tower. Upon the top ofthe shaft is a hub 7, preferably in the nature of a sixway couplingthreaded upon the shaft and having four radial arms or spokes 8, engagedwith the horizontally-disposed threaded sockets or ways of the coupling.While only four spokes or arms have been shown, it will of course beunderstood that a greater number may be employed, if desired; but fouris deemed sufficient. A standard 9 rises from the top of the couplingand is provided upon its upper end with a hollow upwardly-flared head10, from which extends braces 11, which diverge downwardly and outwardlyand are connected to the respective arms 8, as indicated at 12. Uponeach arm of the wheel is a blade 13, which is provided upon what will betermed its back with bearings 1A and 15, located, respectively, at itsouter and inner ends and in longitudinal alinement above thelongitudinal center of the blade, the arm or spoke 8 being looselyreceived within the bearings, whereby the plateis pivotally hung uponthe arm and normally assumes an upright position in view of thepreponderance of weight which lies below the arm. A suitable collar 16is provided upon the outer end of the arm 8 at the outer end of theblade, whereby the latter is confined between the collar and the hub 7,so as to prevent endwise displacement of the blade. The outer end ofeach blade is provided upon its front side with a transverse cleat orbrace 17, preferably in the nature of a metal strap, and a substantiallyL-shaped wear-plate 18 is provided at the inner end of the blade uponits front side with the lower or substantially horizontal member of theblade extending along the lower edge of the blade for a purpose as willhereinafter appear.

Upon the top of the cap or head 2 of the tower there is a collar 19,which is lixed to the shaft 6 by a suitable set-screw 20, and upon thiscollar is a rotary tube 21, through which the shaft 6 loosely passes,and upon the lower end of this tube is an external annular flange 22,provided at diametrically opposite sides with radial ears 23 and 2A. Asubstantially radial arm 25 is secured to the ear 2A and is provided atits outer end with an upright vane 26, there being a brace-bar 27extending between the inner and outer end portions of the arm 25. Itwill here be noted that the tubular member 21 constitutes a carrier forthe vane 26 and is capable of being rotatably shifted about the shaft 6as a center by the swinging movements of the vane under the influence ofchanges in the direction of the wind.

An open-ended sleeve 28 rotatabl y embraces the tubular carrier 21 andis provided at its lower end with an external annular flange 29,supported upon the flange 22 of the carrier. Carried by the upperportion of the sleeve 28 is a rail 30, which is substantiallysemicircular in shape and constitutes a cam having an upwardly-inclinedinitial portion 31 and a substantially horizontal terminal portion 32lying above the top of the sleeve 28, there being a bracket 33 risingfrom the sleeve for the support of the upper end of the cam. It willhere be explained that the top of the sleeve 28 is below the path of theinner end portions of the lower edges of the blades and the latter arebeveled or inclined inwardly or upwardly, so as to clear the top of thesleeve. WVhile the top of the sleeve 28 is out of the path of the loweredges of the blades, the cam 30 is in onehalf of its circular path, sothat when the lower edge of each blade engages the lower portion of thecam said blade is tilted as it travels forwardly until it reaches thehorizontal portion 32 of the cam, whereupon the blade will be in asubstantially horizontal position edgewise to the wind, and therebyautomatically feathered so as to offer no resistance to the retation ofthe wheel while the blade is traveling into the wind. When the bladereaches the upper extremity of the cam, it trips therefrom andgravitates into its normal upright position endwise to the wind, and asthe wheel continues to rotate the back of the blade will come into thepath of the wind and be acted thereon to rotate the wheel and the shaft6 of the mill. In addition to bracing the arms 8 each brace 11constitutes a stop for engagement with the top of the adjacent blade toprevent rotation of the blade upon its arm under the action of the wind,whereby the blade is held in an upright position, so as to obtain thefull effect of the wind. It will now be understood that the lower orhorizontal member of the wear-plate 18 is arranged to engage the cam 30,so as to avoid wear upon the blade, which is preferably formed of wood,although it may be of sheet metal, if desired.

As the sleeve 28 is rotatable upon the car- I rier 21, it is necessaryto normally maintain the sleeve and the cam in a predetermined-relationwith respect to the vane 26 in order that the blades may be properlyfeathered as they travel into the wind. This is accomplished by means ofa lever 3A, fulcrumed upon the car 23 of the flange of the carrier 21and provided with a weight 35, adjustable upon the lever by means of aset-screw 36. An arm 37 rises from the inner portion of the lever, and alink 38 is pivoted to the upper end of the arm and also pivotallyconnected to the sleeve 28, as indicated at 39 in Fig. A of thedrawings, at a point substantially midway between the opposite ends ofthe cam 30. Moreover, the weighted lever 3A rests against the ring A0 asa stop, and the ring A0 loosely embraces the head of the tower and is inturn supported upon perforate ears or projections A1, extending radiallyoutward from the head 2. Pendent rods A2 extend from the ring A0 andwork through the perforations in the respective guide projections A1,the lower end portions of the rod A2 being converged and connected to asmaller lower ring A3, which loosely rcceives the shaft 6 and is capableof sliding vertically thereon. A forked lever AA is fulcrumed upon across-bar A5, carried by adjacent standards of the tower, with itsforked end embracing the collar or ring A3 and pivotally connectedthereto by means of headed fastenings A6, passing through slots A7 ipthe ends of the fork. A wire or cable A8 depends from the outer end ofthe lever AA for convenience in manipulating the latter from the groundor other point remote from the window. l/Vhen it is desired to throw the-wheel out of operation, the connection 48 is pulled down, so as toelevate the inner end of the lever, thereby elevating the shiftingslide, composed of the upper and lower rings 40 and 43 and theconnecting-rods 42, the elevation of the ring 40 operating to swing thelever 34 upwardly, and through the medium of the arm 37 and the link 38the sleeve 28 is rotatably shifted one-fourth of a revolution, therebyto bring the cam 30 into engagement with the two active blades, so as tofeather the same, and thereby render the wheel inactive. The two otherblades do not need to be feathered by the cam, for the reason that theaction of the wind against the front sides thereof will tilt them intosubstantially horizontal positions edgewise to the wind without the aidof the cam. So long as the cam-shifting means remains in its elevatedposition the wheel will be inactive; butjust as soon as said means islowered to its normal position the weighted lever 34 will gravitate toits normal position, thereby rotatably shifting the cam back to itsoriginal position, whereupon the two active blades will be released soas to return to their original upright positions, and the wheel willthen be in operative condition. l/Vhen the wheel is in operativecondition and the direction of the wind changes, the vane 26 will ofcourse automatically trail into the path of the wind, and as the vane isconnected to the carrier 21 the latter will be rotatably shifted withthe vane, and the sleeve 28, with its cam 30, will also besimultaneously shifted therewith through the connection afforded by thelever 34, the arm 37, and the link 38, whereby the cam 30 maintains itsoriginal relation with respect to the vane, and therefore the bladeswill be properly feathered in accordance with the new direction of thewind.

It will here be noted that while the sleeve 28 and the carrier 21 aresimultaneously shifted with the vane the sleeve 28 is capable of beingindependently shifted when it is desired to throw all of the blades intofeathered or inactive positions without necessitating a change in theposition of the vane.

Having fully described the invention, what is claimed is- 1. In awindmill, the combination with a wind-wheel having radial tiltableblades, of a trip located in a portion of the path of the blades for contact thereby to feather the blades when coming into the wind, and meansto rotatably shift the trip device about the axis of the wheel as acenter into engagement with the active blades of the wheel to featherthe same and render the wheel inactive.

2. In a windmill, the combination with a wind-wheel havingvertically-tiltable blades, of an arcuate trip disposed in a portion ofthe path of the blades to tilt and thereby feather the same when cominginto the wind, said trip having an upwardly-inclined initial portion anda substantially horizontal portion leading therefrom, and means torotatably shift the trip around the axis of the wheel as a center tobring the trip into engagement with the active blades of the wheel tofeather the same and render the wheel inactive.

3. In a windmill, the combination with a wind-wheel having tiltableblades, of a trip located in a portion of the path of the blades to tiltand thereby feather the same when coming into the wind, said tripcapable of being rotatably shifted about the axis of the wheel as acenter into engagement with the active blades of the wheel to featherthe same and render the wheel inactive, and means for rotatably shiftingthe trip consisting of a tensioned device connected to the trip andmeans for rotatably shifting the trip in opposition to the tensioneddevice.

4. In a windmill, the combination with a wind-wheel having tiltableblades, of a trip located in a portion of the path of the blades to tiltand thereby feather the same when coming into the wind, said tripcapable of being rotatably shifted about the axis of the wheel as acenter to engage and feather the active blades of the wheel to renderthe latter inactive, and means to shift the trip consisting of atensioned lever fulcrumed independently of the trip, an arm carried byand projected laterally from the lever,a link extending between the armand the trip, and means to move the lever against the tension thereof torotatably shift the trip.

5. In a windmill, the combination with a support,of a wind-wheel mountedthereon and provided with tiltable blades a trip located in a portion ofthe path of the blades to tilt and thereby feather the same when cominginto the wind, said trip capable of being rotatably shifted around theaxis of the wheel as acenter to engage and feather the active blades ofthe wheel, a tensioned lever fulcrumed upon the support, a connectionbetween the lever and the trip to impart a rotary movement to the latterby a movement of the lever, aslide carried by the support and disposedto engage and move the lever, and means to operate the slide.

6. In a windmill, the combination with a support, of a wind wheel havingtiltable blades, a trip located in a portion of the path of the bladesto tilt and thereby feather the same when coming into the wind, attrip-support rotatable upon the axis of the wheel as a center, atensioned lever fulcrumed upon the support, a lateral arm carried by thelever, a link extending between the arm and one side of the rotarytrip-support, a slide carried by the support and capable of movementinto engagement with the lever to move the same, and means to actuatethe slide.

7. In a windmill, the combination with a support and a vertical rotaryshaft carried thereby, of a wind-wheel carried by the shaft and havingtiltable blades, a trip located in a portion of the path of the bladesto tilt and thereby feather the same when coming into the wind, atrip-supporting sleeve rotatably embracing the shaft, a tensioned leverfulcrumed upon the support, a connection between the lever and therotary trip-support to impart a rotary movement to the trip-support by amovement of the lever, and means to move the lever against the tensionthereon for shifting the trip.

8. In a windmill, the combination with a support, of a vertical rotaryshaft carried thereby, a wind-wheel carri d by the shaft and havingtiltable blades, an arcuate trip embracing the shaft as a center andlocated in a portion of the path of the blades to tilt and therebyfeather the same when coming into the wind, a sleeve rotatably embracingthe shaft and supporting the trip, agravity-lever fulcrumed upon thesupport, a connection between the'lever and the sleeve to rotatablyshift the same by an upward movement of the lever, and means to elevatethe lever and thereby shift the trip.

9. In a windmill, the combination with a support and a rotatablyvertical shaft carried thereby, of a wind-wheelcarried by the shaft andhaving tiltable blades, a trip located in a portion of the path of theblades to tilt and thereby feather the same when coming into the wind, arotatably-shiftable sleeve embracing the shaft and supporting the trip,a gravity-lever fulcrumed upon the support, a connection between thelever and the sleeve to rotatably shift the same by an elevation of thelever, a vertically-movable slide carried by the support and capable ofcontact with the lever to elevate the same, and a controlling-leverfulcrumed upon the support and connected to the slide.

10. In a windmill, the combination of a wind-wheel having tiltableblades, an arcuate trip located in a portion of the path of the bladesto tilt and thereby feather the same when coming into the wind, a vaneconnected to the trip for rotatably shifting the same about the axis ofthe wheel as a center and thereby maintain a predetermined relationbetween the trip and the vane, and means to rotatably shift the tripindependently of the movement of the vane to bring the trip into contactwith the active blades of the wheel to trip and thereby feather the sameto render the wheel inactive.

11. In a windmill, the combination with an upright rotary shaft and awind-wheel carried thereby and provided with tiltable blades, of acarrier member rotatable concentrically upon the shaft, a vane carriedby the carrierto rotatably shift the latter, a trip located in a portionof the path of the blades to tilt and thereby feather the same whencoming into the wind, said trip being rotatabl y supported upon thecarrier member, and means mounted upon the carrier member and connectedto the trip to rotatably shift the same independently of the carrier andbring the trip into contact with the active blades to feather the sameand render them inactive.

12. In a windmill, the combination with a vertical rotary shaft and awind-wheel carried thereby and provided with tiltable blades, of arotatably-shiftable carrier embracing the shaft, a vane connected to thecarrier for shifting the same therewith, a trip located in a portion ofthe path of the blades to tilt and thereby feather the same when cominginto the wind, said trip being rotatably supported upon the carrier, alever fulcrumed upon the carrier, a connection between the lever and thetrip to rotatably shift the latter upon the carrier and bring the tripinto contact with the blades to feather the same and render theminactive, and controlling means for the lever to rotatably shift thetrip independently of the vane.

13. In a windmill, the combination with a tower and a vertical rotaryshaft, of a windwheel carried by the shaft and provided with tiltableblades, a tubular carrier rotatably embracing the shaft and supportedupon the tower and provided with an external annular flange, a vanecarried by the flange to rotatably shift the carrier, a sleeve rotatablyembracing the carrier and supported upon the flange thereof, a tripcarried by the sleeve and located in a portion of the path of the bladesto tilt and thereby feather the same when coming into the wind, andmeans to rotatably shift the sleeve upon the carrier consisting of atensioned lever fulcrumed upon the flange of the carrier a connectionbetween the lever and the sleeve to rotatably shift the latter by amovement of the lever, and controlling means to move the lever againstthe tension thereof.

14. In a windmill, the combination with an upright rotary shaft and awind-wheel carried thereby and provided with tiltable blades, of atubular carrier rotatably shiftable upon the shaft, a vane connected tothe carrier to shift the same therewith, a sleeve rotatably embracingthe carrier and supported thereon, an arcuate trip carried by the sleeveand disposed in a portion of the path of the blades to tilt and therebyfeather the same when coming into the wind, a tensioned lever fulcrumedupon the carrier, a lateral arm carried by the lever, a link extendingbetween the arm and the sleeve at a point upon the opposite side of theaxis thereof, and means to move the lever against the tension thereon torotatably shift the trip and bring the same into engagement with theactive blades to feather the same and render them inactive.

15. In a windmill, the combination with an upright rotary shaft having awind-Wheel provided with tiltable blades, of a carrier rotatablyembracing the shaft, a vane carried by the carrier to shift the sametherewith,,an arcuate trip rotatably supported upon the carrier andlocated in a portion of the path of the blades to tilt and therebyfeather the same when coming into the wind, a tensioned lever fulcrumedupon the carrier a connection between the lever and the trip torotatably shift the latter upon the carrier by a movement of the lever,a vertically-slidable ring capable of engagement with the lever to movethe same against the tension of the lever, and means to actuate thering.

16. In a windmill, the combination with an upright rotary shaft having awind-wheel provided with tiltable blades, of a carrier rotatablyembracing the shaft, a vane carried by the carrier to shift the sametherewith, an arcuate trip rotatably supported upon the carrier andlocated in a portion of the path of the blades to tilt and therebyfeather the same when coming into the wind, a tensioned lever fulcrumedupon the carrier, a connection between the lever and the trip torotatably shift the latter upon the carrier by a movement of the lever,and lever-actuating means having a portion extending throughout theentire rotary path of the lever to operate the latter in any positionthereof.

17. In a windmill, the combination with a tower, a vertical rotaryshaft, and a windwheel carried by the shaft and having tiltable blades,of a carrier supported upon the tower and rotatably shift-able upon theshaft, a vane carried by the carrier to rotatably shift the same, a triprotatably shiftable upon the carrier and located in a portion of thepath of the blades to tilt and thereby feather the same when coming intothe wind, a tensioned lever fulcrumed upon the carrier, a connectionbetween the lever and the trip to rotatably shift the latter by amovement of the lever to bring the trip into engagement with the activeblades of the wheel to feather the same and render them inactive, avertically-movable ring carried by the tower and constituting a supportfor the lever in any position thereof, and means to elevate the ring andactuate the lever.

18. In a windmill, the combination with a tower having a cap providedwith radial perforate projections, of an upright rotary shaft piercingthe cap, a wind-wheel carried by the shaft above the top of the towerand provided with tiltable blades, a carrier supported upon the cap androtatably embracing the shaft, a vane carried by the carrier to shiftthe same therewith, a trip rotatably supported upon the carrier andlocated in a portion of the path of the blades to tilt and therebyfeather the same when coming into the wind, a vertically-movable ringnormally supported upon the perforate ears of the cap, rods workingthrough the perforate ears and connected to the ring, means mounted uponthe tower and connected to the rods to elevate the ring, a tensionedlever fulcrumed upon the carrier and supported upon the ring, and aconnection between the lever and the trip to rotatably shift the latterupon the carrier by an upward movement of the lever to bring the tripinto engagement with the active blades of the wheel and render the sameinactive.

19. In a windmill, the combination with an upright rotary shaft havingradial arms located below the top thereof, of blades swung upon the armsand projected at opposite sides thereof, each blade having its greaterportion normally depending from its arm, and braces extending from theshaft above the blades to the arms and lying in the path of the tiltablemovements of the upper portions of the blades to limit said movements.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

OWEN IV. KENVVOR-THY.

Vv'itnesses:

J. F. MooTHART, W. A. DAVIS.

